This week’s BVA Happenings elaborates on a frequently underrated feature of the legislative process, that of Congressional Committees and supporting staff personnel who perform much of their work. BVA Deputy Director of Government Relations Alek Libbin opens the curtain that often obscures the power of such Committees and of the Members of Congress assigned to them.  Committees serve an important role in any Congressional matter. Their every aspect possesses layers of complexity. A good Committee […]

VA announced earlier this week that veterans and their survivors have filed more than 500,000 claims for toxic exposure-related benefits under the PACT Act since President Biden signed it into law on August 10 of last year. To date, VA has awarded more than $1 billion in earned benefits to veterans and their families who have filed a claim.  The announcement also revealed that more than 3 million veterans have received VA’s new toxic exposure […]

BVA Convention Coordinator Meredith Buono-DaGrossa continues to advise BVA members and their families to register as soon as possible for the convention and to make reservations with the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel for the Association’s 78th National Convention in the Gateway City. She also recommends making flight or other travel arrangements now. Individuals and families planning to attend this year’s activities—highlighted by educational sessions, an increasingly popular and busy Exhibit Hall, and official BVA […]

One week ago today, VA announced here that future deployments of the new Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program would have to be halted while improvements were prioritized at the five sites that currently use the new system as part of a larger program reset.  In response, House Committee on Veterans Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL-12) and Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA-39) now seek increased Congressional oversight via H.R. 2809, House companion legislation to Senator […]

Join BVA’s VetTech Team this Wednesday, May 3, at 2:00pm Eastern Time as we welcome Josue Rivera and Corinne Nero, Area Sales Managers for OrCam. They will discuss the award-winning Artificial Intelligence capabilities of the OrCam MyEye Pro in recognizing individuals, making it a powerful tool at family gatherings, meetings, conventions, and other public events.  Do not miss this VetTech session, which will provide participants with:                                                                        An overview of how people recognition works. Steps to […]

Silver Star Banner Day is Monday, May 1. The designation recognizes the sacrifices of the ill, wounded, and dying members of the United States military. The day also honors those awarded with the Silver Star Medal and their families. The Medal is awarded to those who demonstrate distinguished valor in combat and is the third highest decoration in the Armed Forces.  The Silver Star Banner itself has blue stars representing hope. The stars are covered […]

BVA Convention Coordinator Meredith Buono-Dagrossa has issued another call to BVA members and their families to register as soon as possible for the convention and make a reservation with the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel for the Association’s 78th National Convention in the Gateway City. She also recommends making flight or other travel arrangements now.  Individuals and families planning to attend this year’s activities—highlighted by educational sessions, an increasingly popular and busy Exhibit Hall, and […]

In recognition of Financial Literacy Month, VA’s Office of Outreach, Transition, and Economic Development has partnered with Prudential to offer a Wellness Wednesday Educational Series throughout April. The program’s objective is to assist service members, veterans, family members, and caregivers in building strong financial foundations.  The series has just one remaining hour-long online class. Attendees can choose between two time slots: 12:00 Noon or 3:00pm Eastern Time.  The content has been tailored to address financial […]

Join VetTech this Wednesday, April 26, at 2:00pm Eastern Time as we welcome John Palmer, Patriot Vision Industries President and Founder. Patriot Vision combines the best in state-of-the-art magnification technology with usability for a multitude of tasks. The company developed the only iOS Apple-certified magnification and reading system combination in the world—in tandem with cutting-edge, head-mounted digital magnifiers. Do not miss this VetTech session! Participants will receive an overview and description of:                                                                        Common conditions, needs, […]

BVA members wishing to nominate an individual for an award or Certificate of Appreciation have one more week to submit the materials to the Association’s National Headquarters. BVA’s Awards Program honors annually the extraordinary professional achievements of a blind or low vision veteran, the outstanding level of service of a BVA member to their regional group, and a volunteer who has served blind and low vision veterans with unusual dedication and enthusiasm.  The recognitions are, […]